London: Honour
killing and female infanticide come from Pagan-Hindu-Judeo-Christian
traditions. Hindus idolise women as Goddesses on one hand, while downgrading
them on the sly at the same time. There is nothing in the Holy Quran and the
Hadiths that may encourage people to kill their daughters. Infact, Islam came
to abolish the dark ages of Pagan- Hindu -Judeo- Christian traditions. Islam is
a matter of choice and there is no compulsion at all. It is a misconception
that forced marriage and honour killing are part of Muslim culture. Forced
marriage, honour killing and genital mutilation are rare practices among
migrant communities. Muslim migrants are worried about institutional racism,
binge drinking, drug addiction, incivility, gun and knife crimes, high rate of
abortions and teen age pregnancies. An average of 20 English girls under the
age of 16 falls pregnant every day. Muslim parents do not want their children
to be integrated into such barbarity. Muslim women feel torn between two
cultures, thanks to the British education system with non-Muslim monolingual
teachers. It makes their lives very confusing.

The tragedy of
forced marriage and honour killing could have been avoided if the poor girls
were educated in a single sex state funded Muslim schools by female Muslim
teachers. Educational attainment rises quite significantly if boys and girls
are educated separately. The tragedies are an eye opener for all those Muslim
parents who send their children to state schools where they are exposed to
non-Muslim teachers who have no respect for Islamic faith and Muslim community
and do not understand the needs and demands of the Muslim children. Muslim
schools are crucial for Muslim children because western education makes a
man/woman stupid. The hypocrisy of the Western society is clearly seen whereas
an Australian Judge failed to jail nine males who admitted gang-raping a
10-year old aborigine girl in 2005, saying the victim probably agreed to have
sex with them and a UNICEF Photo of the year shows, a bridegroom, 40, with his
11-year old bride in Afghanistan. In my opinion, a UNICEF photo of the year
must show a nine year British girl having a baby and another photo showing a
gang of teenage girls with anti-social behaviour and vomiting out side a pub,
thanks to binge drinking. Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with
Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. Muslim
schools are the solutions and not a problem. They help to strengthen community
cohesion, not undermine it. Muslim schools stand as shining beacons of light,
serving as one of the most crucial factors which protect Muslim children from
the onslaught of Eurocentricism, homosexuality, racism and secular values and
traditions. They need to be well versed in Standard English to follow the
National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity.
At the same time they need to be well versed in Arabic, Urdu and other
community languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the
beauty of their literature and poetry. Muslim schools are not only faith
schools but also bilingual schools. Infact, bilingualism is an asset and not a
problem as perceived by the British education system. There is a positive
co-relation between language and culture. English language is associated with
western culture.

The silent
majority of Muslim parents would like to send their children to Muslim schools
but there are not enough schools to go by. The only alternative left is either
British Government should introduce voucher system for parents to choose the
school of their choice or designate all those state schools as Muslim community
schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. There are hundreds of state
schools where Muslims are in majority. Such schools may be handed over to
Muslim educational Trusts or charities for their management. They are in a
better position to educate Muslim children in accordance with their needs and
demands. This demand is in accordance with the law of the land because there
are state schools already managed by private companies. Muslim community is not
asking for a favour. It is their legal right.